Plastic padded or ornamented furniture or the like and the method of making



P 1954 G. v. JAKEWAY 2,690,212

PLASTIC PADDED 0R ORNAMENTED FURNITURE OR THE LIKE AND THE METHOD OF MAKING Filed May 25, 1953 Patented Sept. 28, 1954 PLASTIC PADDED OR ORNAMENTED FURNI- TURE OR THE LIKE AND THE IVEETHOD OF MAKING Gerald V. Jakeway, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignor to Keeler Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application May 25, 1953, Serial N0. 357,033

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to plastic padded or ornamented furniture or the like and the method of making.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a plastic padded or ornamented article of furniture or the like in which the padding or ornamenting member is quickly and securely attached to a metal part and without the use of adhesive or rivets.

Second, to provide a plastic pad for the arm of a metal chair which conceals the joints of the associated parts of the chair and serves as an ornament as well as a covering for the part to which it is applied.

Third, to provide a structure having these advantages which is very economical in its parts and in the assembly thereof.

Fourth, to provide a method of assembling a plastic pad or covering member on a metal part whichenables very rapid attachment of the plastic member and at the same time it is securely retained.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The inventionis pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in longitudinal section of the arm of a chair embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the arm of the chair and a supporting frame member showing their relation and certain details thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sideperspective view of the pad or cover member of the embodiment ofmy invention illustrated.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View on a line corresponding to 44 of Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the arm with the lugs of the pador cover member shown in horizontal section in their initial attaching position and in their seated or fully assembled position by dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a driving tool desirable for use in the assembling of the pad member upon the arm of achair.

Metal furniture is now quite extensively used and one of the objections to it is the feel of the metal, for example, on the arm of a chair.

So called plastic pads have been used and various expedients have been used for attaching them such as adhesives, rivets and the like. The main objects of my invention are to provide a structure of this type, the plastic pads of which may be very economically produced and assembled and one in Which when assembled are effectively retained and the securing means is concealed.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents an upright frame member of a metal chair and 2 an arm member. These parts, as shown, are formed of tubular stock of rectangular section. The front of the arm member is lapped upon the upper end of the frame member and fixedly secured thereto as by spot welding, indicated at 3. The front end of the arm member is rounded at 3 and emerges into the frame member which is rearwardly curved.

The frame member 1 has a round opening or hole 5 in its front wall. The top wall of the arm member is provided with longitudinally spaced keyhole shaped slots 8 and l and disposed in the same relation with their wider ends forwardly. The length of the wider portion of the slot 6 is substantially greater than that of the Wider portion of the slot. 7. These keyhole slots are formed with forwardly projecting cutters 8 at the juncture of the side edges of the wider portions of the slots with side edges of the narrow portion of the slots. These cutters are desirably of V-shape as shown.

The pad member 9 is of downwardly facing channel section and has a forwardly curved downwardly projecting front portion [0 which "overhangs the open front end of the arm member and overlaps the upper end of the frame member. The member 9 is proportioned to slidably fit over the arm and closely embrace the sides thereof and the sides of the upper end of the upright frame member.

The pad member is formed of molded plastic. There are several kinds of plastic that may be used. The member 9 is formed with downwardly projecting lugs I l on the iner side of the web thereof and rearwardly projecting lug [2 on the downturned front end It]. The lugs II are spaced so they may be simultaneously introduced into the wider portions of the slots 6 and 1. They arespaced so that they are initially positioned, as shown in Fig. 5. The varying of the length of the wider portions of the rear slots results in the cutters being spaced more closely than the lugs.

In assembling the pad member is arranged on the arm with the lugs as shown in section in Fig. 5. The pad member is then forced rearwardly desirably by placing a driving member l3, and curved at M to lit the curve of the pad member on the pad member and the pad member is driven rearwardly while it is held downwardly upon an arm member. This results in the cutters 3 cutting grooves l5 in the lugs at the bases thereof, as best shown in Fig. 4. When fully seated the lug l2 engages the hole 5 in the frame member I. By spacing the cutters as described the pad member may be more easily driven to seated position as only one lug is cut at a time. 7

The lugs are desirably tapered, as illustrated. However, they may be otherwise shaped but the diameter at the base thereof should exceed the width of the narrower portions of the keyhole slots so that the recesses iii are formed or cut as the lugs are forced rearwardly in the slots.

I have illustrated and described my invention particularly as applied to an arm of a .metal chair. It will be understood however that the pads and ornaments may be applied in various other positions and to other articles of furniture. The pad illustrated is longitudinally fluted at It both as an ornamental feature and to provide a desirable feel.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe various embodiments or adaptations which I contemplate'as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of furniture or the like comprising a tubular metal upright frame member, a tubular metal arm member disposed with its front end over-lapping said frame member and fixedly secured thereto, said arm member having longitudinally spaced generally keyhole shaped slots; disposed with their larger ends forwardly, the wider portion of the forward slot being of substantially greater length than the corresponding portion of the rear slot, the frame member having an opening in its front wall spaced below the armmember, and a downwardly facing channel shaped pad element of plastic material disposedfacing downwardly in embracing relation to the upper portion of the arm member and slid. able longitudinally thereon, and having a downturned frontend. overlapping the upper end. of the frame member and provided with a rearwardly: projecting lug engageable with said. opening in the frame member, said pad member having inwardly. projecting lugs engageable with said slots-in saidarm member, the width of the wider portions of the slots being such as to permit the insertion of the lugs therein, thewidth of the narrower portions of the slots being less than theilateral diameter of the lugs, there being forwardly projecting. V-shaped cutter elements at the. juncture of the longitudinal edges of the narrower and wider portions of the slots so that the lugsv are retainingly engaged in the narrow portions of the slots when the pad member is forced rearwardly to position the lugs in the narrowportions of the slots in which position said lug on the downturned front end of the pad member is engagedin said opening in said frame member.

2. An articleof furniture or the like comprisin itsfront wall spaced below the arm member,-

and a downwardly facing channel shaped pad element of plastic material disposed facing downwardly in embracing relation to the upper portion of the arm member and slidable longitudinally thereon, and having a downturned front end overlapping. the upper.=end of thee-frame member and provided with a rearwardly. projecting lug engageable with said opening in the frame member, said pad member having inwardly projecting lugs of plastic material integral with the plastic material-of the pad member and engageable with said.:slots,. in said arm member, the width of the wider' portions of the slots being such as to permit theinsertion of the lugs therein; the widthyof .1the-inarrower portions of the slots being less than the lateral diameter of the lugs in the portions of the lugs disposed in the planes of' the slots whereby the lugs are grooved to retain the pad member on the arm member when the .padmember. is forced longitudinally of the slots in a direction from the wide ends of the slots towards the narrow ends thereof.

3. .An articleof furnitureor the like comprising an upright frame "member and-an arnimember mounted-thereon,;said arm member having longitudinally spaced-generally keyhole-shaped slots disposedwith theirdlarger. endsforwardly, the frame memberhav-ing an opening spacedbelow the arm member,. anda pad element of plastic material having a downturned-front end: overlapping the-upper-endoftheiframe member and facing cutter elements at the juncture of the longitudinal edgesof the. narrower and wider portions'of the slots-so that thelugsare retainingly engaged inthe. reducedportions of the slots when the pad member is forced rearwardly to position the lugs in the narrow portions-of the slots in, which position said lug on the-downturned front end of the pad member is engaged in said. opening-in said frame member the said cutter elements beinggspaced so ithat'they successively engage the lugsas the pad member is positioned.

4. An article of furniture or the'like comprising an upright.framermember. and an; arm member mounted thereon qsaid. arm member having longitudinally spaced generally keyhole shapedslots disposed with their larger ends forwardlwthe frame member havingan opening spaced below the armmember, and a ipad. elementof-plastic material havingea .downturned front .endoverlapping the. upper 'end ofzthe frame member and provided with-1a .rearwardly projectingx-lug engageable withsaidopening =..in. ithel frame mem-.

ber, said pad member having inwardlypro'iecting lugs of plastic materialintegral with. the plastic material of the pad member and engageablewith said slots in said arm -member, 'the width. of: the wider portions of: the slots: being such as to permit the insertion of: the lugs: therein, the width of the narrowerportions of the .slots'i'being; less.

than the lateral diameter: ofithe lugs at-the base thereof in. the portions-thereof. disposed in' the planes of the .slotspwhereby the lugs are; grooved to retainathe pad: member-wnrthe ar'm'amember when the pad-{member vis forced-.ilongitudinally of the slots in the direction from the wide ends of the slots toward the narrow ends thereof, so that the lugs are retainingly engaged in the reduced portions of the slots when the pad member is forced rearwardly to position the lugs in the narrow portions of the slots in which position said lug on the downturned front end of the pad member is engaged in said opening in said frame member.

5. A structure comprising a tubular metal body member having longitudinally spaced generally keyhole shaped slots disposed in the same relation, the wider portion of one slot being of substantially greater length than the corresponding portion of the other slot, and a pad member of plastic material having inwardly projecting lugs engageable with said slots, the width of the wider portion of the slots being such as to permit the insertion of the lugs therein, the width of the narrower portions of the slots being less than the lateral diameter of the lugs at the bases thereof, there being V-shaped cutter elements at the juncture of the longitudinal edges of the narrower and wider portions of the slots so that the lugs are retainingly engaged in the narrower portions of the slots when the pad member is forced longitudinally to position the lugs in the narrow portions of the slots.

6. A structure comprising a tubular metal body member having longitudinally spaced generally keyhole shaped slots disposed in the same relation, the wider portion of one slot being of substantially greater length than the corresponding portion of the other slot, and a pad member of plastic material having inwardly projecting lugs of plastic material integral with the plastic material of the pad member and engageable with said slots, the width of the wider portion of the slots being such as to permit the insertion of the lugs therein, the width of the narrower portions of the slots being less than the lateral diameter of the lugs at the bases thereof, so that the lugs are grooved and retainingly engaged in the narrower portions of the slots when the pad member is forced longitudinally to position the lugs in the narrow portions of the slots.

7. A structure comprising a body member, said member having longitudinally spaced keyhole slots disposed with their larger ends in the same direction, and a pad element of plastic material, said pad member having inwardly projecting lugs engageable with said slots in said body member, the width of the wider portions of the slots being such as to permit the insertion of the lugs therein, the width of the narrower portions of the slots being less than the lateral diameter of the lugs at the bases thereof, there being cutter elements at the juncture of the longitudinal edges of the narrower and wider portions of the slots so that the lugs are grooved and retainingly engaged in the reduced portions of the slots when the pad member is forced longitudinally while resting on the body member to position the lugs in the narrow portions of the slots, the said cutter elements being spaced so that they successively engage the lugs as the pad member is positioned.

8. A structure comprising a body member, said member having longitudinally spaced keyhole slots disposed with their larger ends in the same direction, and a pad element of plastic material, said pad member having inwardly projecting lugs of plastic material integral with the plastic ma- .terial of the .pad. member and engageable with said slots in said body member, the width of the wider portions of the slots being such as to permit the insertion of the lugs therein, the width of the narrower portions of the slots being less than the lateral diameter of the lugs at the bases thereof so that the lugs are grooved and retainingly engaged in the reduced portions of the slots when the pad member is forced longitudinally while resting on the body member to position the lugs in the narrow portions of the slots.

9. A structure of the class described comprising a body member having a keyhole shaped slot therein, a pad member of plastic material having an inwardly projecting lug of plastic material integral with the pad member and engageable with said slot, the width of the wider portion of the slot being such as to permit the insertion of the lug therein, the width of the narrower portion of the slot being less than the lateral diameter of the lug at the base thereof, there being V-shaped cutter elements at the juncture of the longitudinal edges of the narrow and wider portion of the slot so that the lug is grooved and retainingly engaged in the narrow portion of the slot when the pad member is forced longitudinally of the slot to engage the lug in the narrow portion of the slot.

10. A structure of the class described comprising a body member having a keyhole shaped slot therein, a pad member of plastic material having an inwardly projecting lug of plastic material integral with the ad member and engageable with said slot, the width of the wider portion of the slot being such as to permit the insertion of the lug therein, the width of the narrower portion of the slot being less than the lateral diameter of the lug at the base thereof, there being cutter elements at the juncture of the longitudinal edges of the narrow and wider portion of the slots so that the lug is grooved and retainingly engaged in the narrow portion of the slot when the pad member is forced longitudinally of the slot to engage the lug in the narrow portion of the slot.

11. In a structure of the class described, a body member having a keyhole shaped slot therethrough, a pad member constituting a covering for the body member, said pad member having an inwardly projecting lug rigidly fixed thereto, the portion of the body member having a keyhole slot therein being harder than the lug, the width of the wider portion of the slot being such as to permit the insertion of the lug therein, the width of the narrower portion of the slot being less than the thickness of the portion of the lug adjacent the pad member so that the lug is grooved to retain the pad member on the body member against the surface thereof when the pad member is forced longitudinally of the slot in the direction from wide end of the slot toward the narrow end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 90,780 Purdy Jan. 1, 1869 1,081,639 Vail Dec. 16, 1913 2,199,689 Boogaard et a1 May 7, 1940 2,292,445 Hilldring Aug. 11, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 63,187 Germany July 7, 1892 

